A metagenomic approach to One Health surveillance of antimicrobial resistance in a UK veterinary centre

There are currently no standardized guidelines for genomic surveillance of One Health antimicrobial resistance (AMR). This project aimed to utilize metagenomics to identify AMR genes present in a companion animal hospital and compare these with phenotypic results from bacterial isolates from clinical specimens from the same veterinary hospital. Samples were collected from sites within a primary care companion animal veterinary hospital in London, UK. Metagenomic DNA was sequenced using Oxford Nanopore Technologies MinION. The sequencing data were analysed for AMR genes, plasmids and clinically relevant pathogen species. These data were compared to phenotypic speciation and antibiotic susceptibility tests of bacterial isolates from patients. The most common resistance genes identified were <i>aph</i> (<i>n</i>=101 times genes were detected across 48 metagenomic samples), <i>sul</i> (84), <i>bla</i> _CARB (63), <i>tet</i> (58) and <i>bla</i> _TEM (46). In clinical isolates, a high proportion of isolates were phenotypically resistant to <i>β</i>-lactams. Rooms with the greatest mean number of resistance genes identified per swab site were the medical preparation room, dog ward and surgical preparation room. Twenty-four and four plasmids typically associated with Gram-positive and <i>Enterobacteriaceae</i>, respectively, were identified. Sequencing reads matched with 14 out of 22 (64%) of the phenotypically isolated bacterial species. Metagenomics identified AMR genes, plasmids and species of relevance to human and animal medicine. Communal animal-handling areas harboured more AMR genes than areas animals did not frequent. When considering infection prevention and control measures, adherence to, and frequency of, cleaning schedules, alongside potentially more comprehensive disinfection of animal-handling areas, may reduce the number of potentially harmful bacteria present.